P OLICY
SAPCA TURNS 25 The Sports and Play Construction Association was founded in 1997 by a group of specialist sports builders. CEO Chris Trickey outlines how the organisation has grown over the past quarter of a century into a thriving industry body, representing the companies that design, build and equip the UK’s sports facilities.
T CEO Chris Trickey
he 25th anniversary of the
together. While the association has evolved
Sports and Play Construction
and expanded, this same core purpose
Association (SAPCA) this year
remains the same today – 25 years later.
is a reminder of how quickly the last quarter of a century has
The founding members were mainly specialists in outdoor synthetic sports
passed by. In 1997, when SAPCA was launched,
surfaces. While surfacing remains at the
Tony Blair replaced John Major as PM, the first
core of SAPCA, that core has evolved as
Harry Potter book was published and Titanic
the range of companies and specialisms
hit our cinema screens. In sport, Pete Sampras
represented by SAPCA has grown. Today,
won at Wimbledon, Paul Gascoigne was still
it also includes natural sports turf, indoor
scoring goals for fun and Mike Tyson decided
sports floors and play surfaces.
to snack on Evander Holyfield’s ear during
In its early years, the initiative was driven
joined SAPCA as
their heavyweight title fight. The internet was
by people from across the industry – such
its first employee
a relatively new thing and it would be another
as Charles Lawrence, SAPCA’s first chair.
decade until social media really took off.
The organisation was formed as a non-
in 1997
profit company, with a board of directors
Setting up
elected by the first member companies.
The foundations of SAPCA were laid
first task being to register the company
sports builders joined forces to
– having previously worked for 10 years
create a new trade organisation
at the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).
for the industry. It came about
I had helped deliver the LTA’s facility
through the amalgamation of two
programme, through which I had worked
separate, smaller associations
with many founding members of SAPCA.
that had been running since 1986;
PHOTOS: © SAPCA
I joined as SAPCA’s first employee – my
when a small group of specialist
the Tennis Court Constructors’ Federation and the Synthetic
The early expansion of SAPCA’s membership base saw a much wider range of companies join, including a diverse range of contractors,
Sports Surfaces Association,
such as specialists in maintenance, lighting,
the latter mainly comprising
fencing and indoor structures. A new group was
builders of pitches and tracks.
also created for manufacturers and suppliers,
The rationale for launching
as well as a Professional Services Group to
SAPCA was to create an
represent consultants and test laboratories.
organisation through which specialist companies could
Sports councils and sports governing bodies also joined as affiliate members.
collaborate to promote
48
high standards for the
Growing strong
design and construction of
SAPCA’s expansion led to a subtle but
sports and play facilities
significant name change, to the Sports and
and to work more closely
Play Construction Association. This greater
SPORTSNATION.ORG.UK JAN/FEB 2022
